U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, in launching his re-election campaign and seeking a ninth congressional term, is questioning stances taken by Democratic challenger and former City Council Rep. Beto O'Rourke.

On Wednesday night, Reyes, D-El Paso, attacked O'Rourke's support for legalization of marijuana as a way to financially hinder Mexican drug cartels and his disappointment in health-care reform legislation passed by Congress. Reyes added that these ideas are incongruous to Democratic beliefs.

O'Rourke "recently told insurance brokers that he would have voted against the health-care bill, which helps our seniors pay for their prescription drugs and provides free preventative services," Reyes said at a news conference. "I wonder. Is that a Democrat?"

O'Rourke on Wednesday night said the bill was not as good as it could have been, especially for El Paso, and Reyes supported the legislation because other Democrats in Congress supported it, too.

"In talking to doctors and health-care professionals in El Paso, there are some significant issues with the health-care act," O'Rourke said. "One thing that makes it incredibly difficult to recruit doctors to El Paso and to get doctors to stay here is the reimbursement rate, and that is going to be cut further through this health-care act. It's going to make it harder for everyone involved from small-business owners trying to provide insurance to consumers.

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O'Rourke and and educator Jerome Tilghman are seeking to unseat the 16th Congressional District incumbent in the 2012 Democratic primary, set for March.

A former U.S. Border Patrol sector chief and Vietnam veteran, Reyes first won the congressional seat in 1996, and he has been re-elected seven consecutive times.

Reyes talked about campaign issues, including protection of investments made in Fort Bliss, carrying out infrastructure projects and preserving border security.

Reyes said he is proud of his record in Washington, D.C., and is committed to making sure infrastructure projects in El Paso, including the Loop 375 construction and construction of the $966 million Beaumont Army Medical Center, are completed.

Securing the border is an ongoing issue, Reyes said.

"We've worked very hard in between the ports of entry," he said. "We've expanded the Border Patrol to over 21,000 Border Patrol agents. I have legislation to now focus on the ports of entry. We need to pay attention to our infrastructure and hiring 5,000 additional inspectors."

O'Rourke said that Reyes has not shown leadership in forging economic opportunities with the United States' bordering countries and has not done enough for El Paso's veterans.

"The congressman has failed to help the city create jobs through international bridges," O'Rourke said. "He has failed more than 80,000 veterans by having one of worst-ranked VA systems in the country in El Paso."

Tilghman, a teacher at Morehead Middle School and El Paso Community College, said on Wednesday that El Paso and the country's economic salvation is dependent on a better-educated work force.

Reyes has failed to address El Paso's 11 percent unemployment rate and the $4 billion cut from public education spending at the state level, Tilghman said.

"Jobs are what this community has been screaming for after (the) Obama (administration) went into place," Tilghman said. "Every incumbent has been a part of a failing fraternity at the national level. We can do better."

Reyes will also have a campaign kickoff featuring Tejano music legend Little Joe y La Familia and Radio La Chusma at 6 p.m. Friday at the El Paso civic center. Tickets are $10 and available at Ticketmaster.